337.535.  Committee established — qualifications of members, terms — compensation — meetings, quorum — removal of members. — 1.  There is hereby established the "Committee for Professional Counselors" which shall guide, advise, and make recommendations to the division and fulfill other responsibilities designated by this chapter.  The committee shall approve the examination required by section 337.510 and shall assist the division in carrying out the provisions of sections 337.500 to 337.540.

  2.  The committee shall consist of six members, including one public member, appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate.  Each member of the committee shall be a citizen of the United States and a resident of this state and, except as provided hereinafter, shall be licensed as a professional counselor by this state.  Beginning with the appointments made after August 28, 1992, two members shall be appointed for four years, two members shall be appointed for three years and two members shall be appointed for two years.  Thereafter, all members shall be appointed to serve four-year terms.  No person shall be eligible for reappointment who has served as a member of the committee for a total of eight years.  The membership of the committee shall reflect the differences in levels of education and work experience with consideration being given to race, gender and ethnic origins.  Not more than two counselor educators shall be members of the committee at the same time.  The president of the American Counseling Association of Missouri in office at the time shall, at least ninety days prior to the expiration of the term of the committee member, other than the public member, or as soon as feasible after the vacancy on the committee otherwise occurs, submit to the director of the division of professional registration a list of five professional counselors qualified and willing to fill the vacancy in question, with the request and recommendation that the governor appoint one of the five persons so listed, and with the list so submitted, the president of the American Counseling Association of Missouri shall include in his or her letter of transmittal a description of the method by which the names were chosen by that association.

  3.  A vacancy in the office of a member shall be filled by appointment by the governor for the remainder of the unexpired term.

  4.  Each member of the committee shall receive as compensation, an amount set by the committee not to exceed fifty dollars for each day devoted to the affairs of the committee, and shall be reimbursed for necessary and actual expenses incurred in the performance of his or her official duties.  All staff for the committee shall be provided by the division.

  5.  The committee shall hold an annual meeting at which it shall elect from its membership a chairperson and secretary.  The committee may hold such additional meetings as may be required in the performance of its duties, provided that notice of every meeting must be given to each member at least three days prior to the date of the meeting.  A quorum of the committee shall consist of a majority of its members.

  6.  The governor may remove a committee member for misconduct, incompetency or neglect of his or her official duties after giving the committee member written notice of the charges against the committee member and an opportunity to be heard thereon.

  7.  The public member shall be at the time of his or her appointment a citizen of the United States; a resident of this state for a period of one year and a registered voter; a person who is not and never was a member of any profession licensed or regulated pursuant to sections 337.500 to 337.540 or the spouse of such person; and a person who does not have and never has had a material, financial interest in either the providing of the professional services regulated by sections 337.500 to 337.540, or an activity or organization directly related to any profession licensed or regulated pursuant to sections 337.500 to 337.540.  The duties of the public member shall not include the determination of the technical requirements to be met for licensure or whether any person meets such technical requirements or of the technical competence or technical judgment of a licensee or a candidate for licensure.